UPDATE 1-Ryanair welcomes pause in Boeing production increases, sees no extra delays
(Updates with background on Ryanair Boeing orders, quotes welcoming FAA moves)
DUBLIN, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Ryanair on Thursday welcomed a U.S. regulators' decision to freeze increases in production of Boeing's 737 MAX and said it had been assured there would be no additional delays to deliveries planned ahead of its 2024 and 2025 summer seasons.
The Irish low cost carrier, Europe's largest airline by passenger numbers and one of Boeing's largest customers, has already said it expects Boeing to fall slightly short of a planned 57 deliveries of 737 MAX aircraft by this summer.
The airline has taken delivery of more than half of its order of 210 MAX 8200, a variant of the MAX 8, and has firm orders for 150 of the larger MAX 10, which has not yet been certified.
Ryanair has not ordered any of the MAX 9 aircraft, which was grounded after a mid-air blowout on an Alaska Airlines jet on Jan. 5.
"Boeing have assured Ryanair that the grounding of the MAX 9s and maintaining rather than increasing current monthly production will not further delay Ryanair deliveries for S24 or S25," Ryanair said in an emailed statement.
It welcomed a decision by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Wednesday to allow the MAX 9 aircraft to return to service once inspections are completed.
"Ryanair also welcomes the FAA’s decision to postpone Boeing’s proposed monthly production rate increase which will allow Boeing the time and space to improve quality control of the aircraft it currently manufactures," the statement said.
The airline reiterated its plan to increase the numbers of its engineers in Seattle and Wichita working with Boeing to improve quality control. (Writing by Conor Humphries; editing by William James and Kylie MacLellan)
